Thursday, July 10, 2014

They wanted to complete runs of WHAT comic-book series?!?

AKRON, Ohio — Classic comic-book vendor Jamie Stewart and I had to shake our heads during and after the Akron-Canton Comic Con (June 29).

We were shaking out heads out of disbelief, but my buddy — aka the head honcho of Phat Daddy's Comics & Collectibles — and I also were laughing. Stewart's eyes nearly popped out of his head when I told him about two unusual requests I had from two fans for back issues of ATARI FORCE and ARAK: SON OF THUNDER.

Why is that so unbelievable? The two DC Comics series were published in the 1980s. For many years, those issues often are fans, vendors and collectors call "frequent flyers" in the long boxes of bargain-priced issues priced at 25 cents or at the most — and I mean the very most — $1, for each issue.

What's even crazier, I told Stewart, is both guys were looking to complete their respective series.

"Unbelievable," he said with a chuckle.

Equally unbelievable was Stewart selling five TREASURY EDITIONS (seen — before the convention started — on the table in front of yours truly in the picture). He said it's more common for fans to look at the oversized magazines from DC and Marvel at conventions, but it's unusual to have any sales at a convention.